Tens of thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Madrid Sunday blaming bankers and politicians for causing a financial crisis that forced the country to adopt painful spending cuts.Demonstrators of all ages linked to a protest movement called the "indignants" assembled early Sunday in several neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Madrid.They then formed six columns and converged on the city centre, gathering near Spain's parliament where they met various forms of police resistance, including 12 vans blocking several major roads.

Tens of thousands of Spaniards demonstrated in Madrid on a rainy Sunday against new austerity measures targeting spending on education and health care."Cuts in health care and education, that's the last straw for us, the working class," said Domingo Zamora, a 60-year-old civil servant. "Without that, what's left? We don't even have work.""They're pushing us to the point of asphyxiation," said another protester, Pilar Logales, also 60.The protesters carried banners reading "It's a Crime to Cut Health Care" and "People of Europe, Rise Up." One simply read "No."

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated across Spain on Sunday against new austerity measures targetting education and health care spending."Cuts in health care and education, that's the last straw for us, the working class," said Domingo Zamora, a 60-year-old civil servant in Madrid. "Without that, what's left? We don't even have work.""They're pushing us to the point of asphyxiation," said another protester, Pilar Logales, also 60.The protesters carried banners reading "It's a Crime to Cut Health Care" and "People of Europe, Rise Up." One simply read "No."

Thailand’s prime minister announced Monday she will dissolve the lower house of Parliament and call early elections in an attempt to calm the country’s deepening political crisis. The surprise move came as 100,000 protesters vowing to overthrow her government marched through the streets of Bangkok for a “final showdown.”
It was not clear if Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s move would satisfy protesters who say they will not settle for her ouster but instead want to rid Thailand of her politically powerful family’s influence.

The push for a referendum on independence for Catalonia faltered last week as the largest pro-independence party lost seats in the Spanish province’s regional assembly. Catalonia is the most economically productive part of Spain, and has always valued its autonomy, but austerity and high unemployment have reignited a push for full-fledged independence.